Un-United States

It is appalling that so simple a concept - to spend only up to the amount taken in - can be so contentious. Of course, nothing is simple when it involves a government that has the power to tax and to print money. Then the equation becomes complex for it involves policy, like economic policy, taxing policy, defense policy, social policy and balanced-budget policy to name a few, and politics.

I am a fiscal conservative. That means I am a social conservative by default since nowadays the Unites States is no longer rich enough to be a social liberal. The United States is in debt. Even in debt, the United States is still giving out freebies. This is not the way to run a country, even though it can print more and more money to pay the interest on a bigger and bigger debt, for more pieces of paper will end up costing everyone in the form of inflation and the devaluation of the dollar, unless there is a corresponding increase in economic growth but there is not. There is no free ride, whether it is an individual, a business, a country like Greece which does not have its own currency or for a country like the United States which does.

Until the United States can collect enough tax revenue without taxing its economy into a deeper recession than it is currently in, it must stop spending and not go further into debt.

Some would argue that the seniors and the poor will suffer from spending cuts because they would lose their benefits. They are right, but what is the alternative? Continue to incur more and more debt so that the next generation of seniors and poor can bear the burden? What will this next generation of poor people and seniors do? Incur more debt and pass it on? When will this transfer of a bigger and bigger debt stop? At some point, when the debt is so huge, can it even be stopped? The dollar will have to depreciate. Will the borrowing stop when bread then start costing $500 a loaf or will the government borrow even more to buy bread for the hungry? Which generation of seniors and poor people will stand up to put a stop to this madness and stand for what is right?

Perhaps none. People have become so selfish and so short-sighted that the next generation seems like another species, unrelated by blood and dispensable. The "me" generation and the baby boomers have become the "me now - hell with everyone else" voting bloc. Sadly, the liberal politicians are catering to them.

I am with the conservatives this time around. In fact, I will go one step further. I will raise the debt ceiling by an amount enough to cover the next three months, making sure spending does not exceed receipts. The amount of debt ceiling to be raised will be evaluated quarterly, making sure that the United States debt is not getting bigger but being trimmed back steadily.